He’s an actor, singer, guitarist, writer, producer and director. He’s invested in growing tech companies and is a keen conservationist. He’s smoking hot and has baby blue eyes that could make any woman or man melt on the spot. He’s been skinny as all hell and beefed up once or twice.
Jared Leto is a chameleon of the entertainment world and as he speaks on a crackly line from the US, he doesn’t sound in the least bit pompous about all of it.
Leto, front man of post-grunge band 30 Seconds To Mars, talking of the band’s new album, Love, Lust, Faith and Dreams, speaks as animatedly as if they’ve just released their debut.
Leto’s careers started with the series My So-Called Life, and went on to major hits like Fight Club, American Psycho and Requiem for a Dream.
The musician emerged when Leto and his brother Shannon formed 30 Seconds to Mars in 1998. Their self-titled debut album boasted alternative rock, alternative metal, emo and progressive metal sounds that kind of aimed to show that Leto isn’t just a pretty face.
With A Beautiful Lie in 2005, the band progressed to sounds of prog, screamo, space rock and synth rock.
This is War from 2009 saw the band battling Virgin Records and a $30 million lawsuit, claiming the band refused to deliver three albums as required by its contract.
Rediscovery
Love, Lust, Faith and Dreams, however, is different. Leto says it was a journey and a beautiful rediscovery of their creativity.
“The last album, we had a declaration of war going on. This one was expression without burden.
“We recorded all over the world – South Africa included – and places like India, which really opened our eyes and minds to new methods and new experiences.”
Leto says that 30 Seconds to Mars, being such an integral part of his life, has been a journey of a lifetime. “I am so grateful to have been given this opportunity to do the things I love so much.
“We as a band also have been in it long enough now to have the confidence to hone in on our craft and turn it into self-discovery rather than the world discovering us.
“We have a deep sense of curiosity and that keeps everything fresh and enjoyable all the time.”
Spaceship!
Their curiosity is not limited to Earth, it seems. A CD copy of the new album’s first single called Up in the Air was sent to NASA and SpaceX for launch aboard the Dragon spacecraft on SpaceX CRS-2.
The mission was launched atop a Falcon 9 rocket on March 1, 2013, sending the first ever commercial copy of music into space.
The spacecraft berthed with the International Space Station on March 3, 2013, making the single available to play by the Expedition 35 crew aboard the station.
The song made its worldwide debut aboard the station on March 18, 2013.
It wasn’t always easy for Leto, being an actor that suddenly decided to break into the world of music.
“I had to push and challenge myself and shed that image. I am a creative person by nature and creativity comes from the same place – I am no longer the singer who used to act or the actor who now sings.
“I’ve learnt to get rid of the box and have gracious acceptance of this kind of life.”
Leto, a positive person, says every album has been a learning curve. “You have to challenge yourself and find every potential for a breakthrough else all of it is pointless. If you’re not challenging yourself, why do it?
“It’s not easy to accomplish everything you want and you have to persevere. You can’t be a spectator in your own life.”
SA’s magnificence
30 Seconds to Mars has been greatly inspired by South Africa and its “magnificence”, and the band are due to come back soon.
“We have been very lucky in that we have toured South Africa twice, and plan on coming back.
“It’s one of the great inspiring places, a magical place and some of our best shows have been in your beautiful country. We’ve been inspired to write songs there, and recording there was an experience to be remembered.”
Leto says he sees South African people interacting with the band on social media and he’s encouraged by the positive energy.
“We get so much support and so many responses from South Africa, and that’s a beautiful thing right there – when a country backs you so much, how can you not reciprocate?
“We will be back there very, very soon.”
Love, Lust, Faith and Dreams is now available for purchase. – Nikita Ramkissoon
